Dieffenbachia .. The name may be strange, but believe me, after you see the picture, you will not be surprised by the name again for this plant, which is almost present in almost every home, and with the spread of many publications on social media about the danger of this plant, the question comes here, is Dieffenbachia Really Sam?

What is Dieffenbachia?

They are plants whose leaves are in the shape of a paddle, and the main origin of these plants is in tropical America. You may think that the type you see of Dieffenbachia is the only type of it, but no, according to Oxford University there are about 25 to 50 types of this widespread plant.

It is also important to know that the species that we grow at home may differ from those that grow in the wild. The length of the stems of these plants that grow in the wild, for example, may reach 2 or 3 meters, but of course the situation is different for the species that grow at home.

Dieffenbachia plant is it poisonous?

Have you ever read that post about this plant causing the death of a young child in just a few minutes? Well, we researched and found this important information about this plant.

According to the University of Oxford, the Dieffenbachia plant contains calcium oxalate, which is a toxic compound, so there are many warnings about the need for attention and caution when dealing with the sap of these plants, especially when chewing, and the entry of this sap into the mouth and eyes, due to the health problems that the sap causes in terms of pain and swelling. and difficulty speaking.

How should it be dealt with if any symptoms appear?

Mostly, the resulting symptoms such as swelling from dealing with plant sap and chewing the leaves are moderate, and can be dealt with by washing your mouth well, in addition to drinking water or milk, but other times the symptoms may become more serious and clearer and cause more serious problems, and these symptoms include:

• Swelling in the lower half of the face and includes some parts such as: swelling lips And the tongue…etc.
• Noticing breathing difficulties.
• Noticing difficulties or trouble swallowing as well.

In this case, when these symptoms appear, you must go to the doctor immediately to provide appropriate treatment and to avoid any complications that may appear and cause greater health problems for the injured person.

Does Dieffenbachia plant affect vision?

Some studies on two species of Dieffenbachia plant, D. picta and D. exotica, were conducted on mice, to show the toxicity of the sap of this plant, and the results were similar to those of humans.

Also, some studies conducted on rabbits showed that eye irritationHaving health problems related to the conjunctiva, cornea, and eyelid swelling.

Specialists advise the necessity of washing and rinsing the eye with water, whose temperature should be equal to room temperature, for a period of no less than 15 minutes. Also immediately.

In the end we would like to clarify that Dieffenbachia It can cause various health problems, the most serious of which are those related to breathing, and although most of the symptoms are moderate, sometimes they may develop and reach a more serious stage, with which a doctor should be consulted immediately, especially if breathing or vision is affected and speech is difficult.. But with regard to It causes immediate death or blindness.. There is not enough evidence for that, but in all cases you should always be aware of the symptoms.